Roast Duck with Maple Syrup

Peel 2 Williams (Bartlett) pears, cut in half lengthways and remove the cores. In a frying pan, combine 50 g (2 oz, 1/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar with 250-ml (8 fl oz, 1 cup) dry white wine and the juice of 2 lemons and 2 oranges. Bring to the boil. Add the pears, 250-ml (8 fl oz, 1 cup) pure maple syrup and a pinch of ground all spice. Simmer until the pears have softened, then remove them from the liquor and put aside in a warm place. Reserve the maple syrup liquor.

Meanwhile, wash 2 ducks. Prick the skin of the breasts with a fork and season. Place in an ovenproof dish and roast in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C (400 degrees F, gas 6) for 15 minutes. Peel and chop 2 carrots, 2 onions, 3 celery sticks, 1 salsify and 2 garlic cloves. Add to the ducks with 2 cloves, 2 bay leaves and 1 bunch thyme, chopped. Reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees C (300 degrees F, gas 2). Skim the excess fat from the dish and baste the ducks every 10 minutes with the reserved maple syrup mixture. As soon as the vegetables begin to turn slightly brown, pour in 500-ml (17 fl oz, 2 cups) chicken stock. Continue the cooking process (1-1/2 hours in all), basting regularly with the juices in the dish. When the ducks are cooked, remove them from the dish and put aside in a warm place. Remove as much fat as possible from the liquid in the dish, leaving the duck juices. Put the vegetables and juice in a smaller saucepan and heat. Add 1 tablespoon tomato purée (paste) and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a further 500-ml (17 fl oz, 2 cups) chicken stock and any remaining maple syrup mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes and strain. Bone the ducks. Place the pieces of duck on a serving dish and garnish with slice of pears, arranged in a fan shape. Pour the cooking juices over the pieces of duck.